Today at the annual Worldwide Developer Conference, Apple announced expanded App Store capabilities to help developers grow their businesses and reach new users.
The tech giant says that new App Store capabilities rolling out this year will give developers more flexibility to market their apps, acquire new users, and offer new business models for Apple In-App Purchase. Here are the highlights of Apple’s press release:
° Developers will have more ways to showcase their apps on the App Store with Creative Assets, rich images and videos that appear in the product page header and search results.
° The new Asset Library helps developers move faster across marketing workflows, with one place in App Store Connect to manage all Creative Assets, app preview videos, and screenshots.
° Developers can reuse assets across custom product pages and In-App Events, eliminating redundant uploads and streamlining their promotional campaigns across the App Store.
° Developers can also submit assets for App Review approval independent of an app update, ideal for rolling out seasonal imagery or coordinating with an Apple Ads campaign without delay.
The App Store is getting new ways to connect users with experiences they are looking for. To help more people find apps and games they will love, the App Store will introduce new Personalized Collections based on user interests, along with App Notes that explain why specific apps are recommended.
These tailored recommendations can appear on the Apps, Games, and Search tabs, evolving over time based on a user’s app usage and downloads. Personalized Collections and App Notes start rolling out this week in English in the U.S., with additional languages and regions coming soon.
To further boost discovery and monetization, game developers will also be able to showcase special offers to attract and engage players on the Apple Games app, using Featuring Nominations to propose plans for an in-game offer or a limited-time discount to the App Store editorial team, according to Apple.
Scaling Businesses with New Subscription Capabilities
This year, the App Store will enhance Apple In-App Purchase, providing developers with new ways to offer subscriptions at scale. Powered by StoreKit 2, developers will be able to enable subscriptions for groups and organizations within their app using two new configuration options to build multi-user in-app purchase experiences.
Volume purchasing through Apple Business and Apple School Manager allows developers to offer subscriptions to enterprise and education buyers who already procure apps at scale. Seat assignments are managed through existing device management workflows, which means apps and subscriptions can be deployed across an organization on infrastructure IT already trusts.
Developers will be able to use group purchases to offer their subscriptions to a range of users, from independent creators working together to full production companies. Group purchases let a subscriber buy seats as a single purchase and then invite others to access the subscription.
Retention Messaging is rolling out to all developers in App Store Connect. These new tools let developers engage subscribers by allowing them to provide additional value during the cancellation process with tailored communications or special offers.
Streamlined Submissions
App Review plays a vital role in keeping the App Store a safe and trusted place for users. Apple says updates to Apple In-App Purchase submissions will further simplify app management and boost developer productivity, allowing developers to group multiple In-App Purchases and related items into a single, unified App Review submission.
To do this the development and submission process, apps and games on the Mac App Store no longer require Intel support. This allows developers to ship Apple silicon-only binaries, eliminating the need to maintain multiple builds.
Supporting New Time Allowance Features
Once apps and games on the App Store are downloaded to a child’s device, parents can use tools, like Screen Time, to help manage when a child can use those apps. New Time Allowances in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 give parents more flexible ways to manage the time their kids and teens spend in apps across categories, including Entertainment, Games, and Social Media.
Apple says Time Allowances are developed based on expert research and tailored to a child’s age range to give parents a helpful starting point. Parents can adjust these settings based on what they determine is best for their child. And new Schedules let parents choose which apps kids and teens have access to at different times of day, making it easier to help keep them focused when it matters.
Developers will also have new ways to ensure their apps are properly categorized for these features within App Store Connect. To support Time Allowances, the age rating questionnaire will be updated in July, allowing developers to indicate if their app includes social media capabilities, such as interacting with user-generated content through a social feed. Apps will automatically be sorted into the appropriate Time Allowance category: Social Media, Entertainment, Games, or Other. Apple says this helps ensure that apps with social media features are accurately categorized and age-rated, providing parents with tools they can use to make informed decisions for their families.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
Also, check out my daughter-in-law’s “Scattered Words” website if you’re interested in unique, handcrafted jewelry made out of an array of vintage dictionaries, books, and even a few antiques.
